Not By Blood
by SheLovesGreenTea
Summary: An overworked Mike is still grieving the loss of Grammy. He has a violent breakdown, but good thing Harvey's there to pick up the pieces.


Disclaimer: I do not own Suits.

You want some fluff? I wrote you some fluff.

Honestly, I just wanted some fluff and angst between these two. I'm lame, I know. There's plenty of errors, so please forgive me. It's pretty late and I have yet to finish a project haha.

Recommendations are welcomed! Enjoy!

* * *

Mike was done. He was honestly so done at this point. The past week he slept only a couple hours back to back, sometimes not sleeping at all. On top of that, Louis and Harvey seemed to enjoy gratuitously inundating him with paper work to the point where he was drowning in the stuff. He practically lived in the file room now. No, seriously, he even kept spare hygiene supplies in one cabinet of his cubicle that way he didn't stink.

The stress is starting gnaw at his mind and his brain is ready to throw in the towel. Mike thought coffee had the same effect as water, but he still drank the stuff nonetheless.

He's tired. Stressed. Emotional yet numb. Truth be told, he was grieving. Again. Mike had thought he needed a distraction, but even he thinks he's going overboard. Besides, nothing ever could and nothing ever would take his mind off the fact that Grammy's... It's the curse of having eidetic memory. Every detail would chase him no matter how hard he ran; there was no escape. He would do anything- Mike would even sell his soul if it meant she'd live a healthy life, but...

Mike runs a hand over his face. He's currently going over some shitty briefs for Louis, and he couldn't help but feel angry that his time was being wasted. He could be helping someone right now, actually being of some use, but instead he's stuck in the abandoned file room, proofing shitty briefs. _This_ is what he chose over Grammy. This is what he chose over warm dinners, over her hugs, over their conversations, over their movie nights. He must be the shittiest grandson in the history of ever.

Mike's eyes watered, but before those droplets of tears could transform into a waterfall, Louis was back and he dropped more briefs on the desk. The sound almost gave him a heart attack.

"I need these on my desk by the end of today."

Mike eyed the thick stack of briefs bitterly and it took every ounce of his will not to lunge forward and punch the man.

"No."

"Excuse me?" Louis said snootily.

"I have a bunch of shit I need to do for Harvey. Not to mention I haven't finished your shit yet, Louis. So. No." He finished curtly, aware of how patronizing his tone was.

He didn't even look up to see the rat's reaction. He knew it wasn't wise to mouth off to a partner, but Mike didn't give a shit at this point.

"Do you have any idea who your talking to?"

Why was he the only one getting pinned with all this work? Gregory certainly wasn't getting three hours of sleep and pulling two all-nighters in one week. Was he not deserving of even the smallest of breaks? Did Louis and Harvey lack that much fucking human decency?

"Why don't give your bullshit work to someone else, alright?"

Louis was both dumbfounded and pissed and Mike knew why. It's not like he was used to being talked to this way by any associate. Certainly not him, Mike, who basically allowed everyone to walk all over him and kept his mouth shut in the process.

"Let me explain something to you-

"No!" he snapped. "Just shove it up your ass Louis! Leave!"

Again, the man was speechless, but it worked. Louis speeded out of the file room. No doubt he was pissed, but it doesn't matter anymore. What does?

He put his head in his hands. His head wouldn't stop thumping, and he's honestly hoping he doesn't pass out right now because that would suck.

Granted, the only one who knew about Grammy was Rachel, so he didn't know why he was expecting some form of compassion and comfort, and certainly from the likes of Louis and Harvey. Some part of him wished Harvey cared enough to ask, but it was definitely wishful thinking on his part...

He hears the door open and the sound of footsteps padding into the room. Jesus, did Louis not know how to take a hint?

"Are you out of your goddamn mind?"

It wasn't Louis.

Mike shot his head up from his hands only to gaze at an angry Harvey marching towards him. Normally, he'd be timid, but because he was so incredibly mentally and emotionally exhausted, the older man's intimidation had no affect on him today.

"Do I really have to remind you not to cuss out your superiors, or are you that insensible?"

He rubbed his eyes warily, clearly not in the mood for an argument. "Harvey, look, Louis he-

"I don't care what Louis did!" He snapped. "I don't like him anymore than you do, but that doesn't give you a right to jeopardize your job all because you mouthed off to someone above you."

Above him? Above him?

"Oh, fuck you!"

The way Harvey's glare hardens makes him almost regret saying it. Of course the one time he needed Harvey to at least be on his side of the argument, he wouldn't be. Intense anger is like skating down a hill. Once you take that initiative, you can't stop tumbling downhill until it's over. In Mike's case, it was far from over.

Harvey crept closer, his voice dangerously low.

"What did you just say to me?"

He stood so Harvey wouldn't tower over him.

"Of course you would take his side!"

"It's not about taking sides!"

"You don't even know what he did!" He countered.

"I don't care!" Harvey yelled.

Mike stilled. He's hurts by those words more than he should be. The feeling of being alone, that no matter what you do or how hard you try to get out of that nasty, cramped cage, that it would never be enough, is a horrific one. It felt like the shards of his heart broke into smaller pieces inside of him when he finally decided to go home.

"Therein lies the crux of the problem," Mike bitterly spat, as he headed for the door.

"Hey!"

A strong hand coiled around his upper arm, pulling him back and he gazed into Harvey's dark eyes.

"This conversation isn't over."

His touch set his nerves on fire and Mike tried to yank his arm back, but Harvey's grip was too firm. He opted for pushing him away instead. Hard. Yes, he'd lost his mind. No, it didn't work, but it managed to make Harvey go from pissed to _livid_.

"Mike!" he barked.

His mind was turned off and his body was left in charge to react. He swung his fist and Harvey dodged in time, but caught his right fist with the same hand, and when Mike threw another swing with his left, Harvey captured that fist too. Because the Universe hated his guts, the older man somehow managed to twist Mike's wrists behind his back while still facing him. He struggled for all he's worth, their chests bumping in the process.

"Let go of me Harvey!"

He thrashed side to side in his arms and tried to increase his struggling when he felt Harvey tighten his grip around his wrists. He was surprised that hadn't dislocated by now because of the sheer force of Harvey's strength.

"Let go!" He screams.

His face is right by Harvey's ear, so it's bound to hurt from his volume.

He felt angry all over again. He was so damn helpless; it was fucking pathetic. What was worse was the way Harvey was looking at him like he was some wounded, crazed animal.

"Calm down."

Harvey's surprisingly calm voice contrasted greatly from his stentorian one. That frustrated him more. Mike felt the dam pushing against his eyes, demanding to be released.

"Just settle down," Harvey calmly spoke while tightening his hold.

After a couple of tugs later, Mike let his face slump onto Harvey's shoulder, inhaling his expensive cologne. He shut his eyes when they finally moisten and gulped down the lump in his throat. He let his body go slack.

There was a minute of awkward silence that felt like it stretched into eternity. Harvey was pretty rigid underneath his touch, but it wasn't like they hugged on a regular basis. He didn't know if he missed human contact or needed it, but Mike secretly hoped Harvey wouldn't let go despite his protests earlier. It was nice being held for a change...

"Mike, what's going on with you?"

His voice was mixed with the right amount of concern and authority. He didn't want to say it. By God, he didn't want to admit it because admitting it was accepting that she was...

"Gone," Mike muffled against his shoulder.

"What?" Harvey asked.

He lifted his heavy head from Harvey's shoulder.

"She's gone, Harvey." Mike croaked, and couldn't stop the hot tears that spilled down his cheeks from his weary eyes.

"Whose gone, Mike?"

"G-Grammy."

A sob tore through his throat which unleashed the dam he had been holding back. His body begun to tremble as he racked with sobs. Harvey drew in a sharp breath and released his wrists, choosing to wrap around his shaking frame instead.

"I'm-I'm all a-lone," he cried, fisting the back of Harvey's suit jacket, probably rumbling it forever. The truth of his newfound reality hits him full speed like a train. Now he truly was an orphan.

He felt a hand card through his hair.

"No, you're not." Harvey spoke solemnly.

He shook his head. "Y-yes I a-

"Mike. No, you're not. You still got Donna and...you still have me. Understand?"

His tone was harsh, but the words he spoke were gentle. Their was so much tension going on with the firm that Mike didn't know anymore. It was tremendously nice being reminded. Mike nodded from the crook of his neck, sniffling.

"I miss her, Harvey."

He hears Harvey sigh and start to rub circles in his back, soothingly.

"I know, kid. I know."

He chuckled humorlessly, "I-I even bought her a new apartment..." he hears Harvey whisper an _ah...shit_ which made him pause briefly. "I bought it to hide the fact of what a shitty grandson I was-"

Suddenly, those hands settle on his shoulders and push him back, abruptly at arms length, and he was back to gazing into the Harvey's dark eyes.

"You listen and you listen well. You did the best you could, Mike. I know people who throw their grandparents into a home and not give a rat's ass what happens to them."

All Mike could do was nod.

"Alright, here's what's gonna happen. I'm calling Ray to give you a ride home. You're gonna take today and tomorrow off. Mike, you with me?"

Mike suddenly found the carpet floor more fascinating than Harvey's face. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't embarrassed for practically fighting and balling his eyes out on his boss, but Harvey was much more than that, Mike realized. Still embarrassing as hell though to be a sniffling, blubbering emotional mess.

He cleared his throat. "Y-yeah, I'm listening."

"Look at me."

He slowly yet painfully manages to gaze upward, sheepishly. Harvey continued when he did.

"If I so much as see you in the office tomorrow, Louis will be the least of your worries."

Leave it up to Harvey to threaten a guy in order to make him feel better. Still, he was grateful.

"And what if I need a distraction?"

Harvey's eyes softened. "For now, what you need is rest."

With that said, Harvey whipped out his phone and presumably called Ray. Mike went back to the table to gather his belongings, each step laced with fatigue. That fight really had him spent.

"Hey, uh," Mike awkwardly coughed as they headed out of the file room and toward the elevators, "sorry about the fight and hitting you and all."

Harvey smirked. "I don't recall you ever landing a hit."

Mike's face reddened and made a mental note to take some self defense classes. When they turned the corner, Louis was by the elevators which made Mike's gut flutter with apprehension.

"Well, well, well." Louis chimed venomously. "It looks like Harvey really did discipline you. Is that why you've been crying like a little girl, Mike?"

He had to hand it to him, Louis really knew how to make a person's blood boil. His eyes must still have been red, and Mike had never wanted to punch someone so hard in his entire life.

"Woah, woah," Harvey cried, putting a hand in front of Mike, effectively halting him from stepping any closer to Louis.

"Mike, go wait in the elevator."

"Harvey!-

"Now." he ordered.

Mike had to obey given the stern glare he received, but not before glaring back at Louis with all the hatred in his eyes that he could muster. He went into the elevator, holding the door for Harvey, when a satisfied smirk settled onto his lips. Harvey was having a word with Louis and judging by Louis's facial expressions, he'd say that it wasn't particularly a conversation he'd ever want to be apart of. Harvey turned to him and strolled into the elevator, pressing the lobby button. The doors closed in on a dumbfounded Louis as they descended down the building.

The gaping hole in his chest wasn't completely filled, but it had reduced in size. Even though he felt like hell gargled him in its mouth only to spit him back out, it was nice knowing he wasn't completely alone. Maybe family wasn't really defined by blood.

"Thanks Harvey."

A small smile settled on his lips.

"You're welcome, kid."


End file.
